The Make-Up Artist: Part 2

Chapter Forty Four: Love

Love is defined as "an intense feeling of deep affection." Upon immediate glance, this definition doesn't seem nearly as adequate as it should. Love can be interpreted in so many different ways. It can mean so many different things. And you can feel love in various ways for various people. Love can be the unconditional type one might have for their children. It might be the love you always knew for your parents and grandparents. It might be the love you feel for a close friend when you know you can tell them anything. It might even be love you swear cannot be anything else for someone you've never even met. Love is the feeling of finding joy in the everyday things. It's accepting affection just a little bit more from the people who love you. Love is when someone is the last person you think about before going to bed, and the first person you think about when you wake up. It's when all you see is their face when closing your eyes for the night. Love is when you feel more confident about yourself, just for the sheer fact they are in your life. Love is the feeling of being protective of that person, knowing that you would do anything in your power to ensure they are safe, secure and happy. Love is never having that person far from your thoughts on any given moment, any given day. It's when you carry that feeling with you wherever you go, even if they are far away, it stays with you always. Love is the feeling of adrenaline shooting through your veins at the mere thought of them, or when you see them for the first time each day. It's feeling that zen moment when you hear their voice, the serotonin release when you see their smile. Love is wanting their happiness more than your own, even if it means they're not with you. Love is knowing that they could never do wrong in your mind, it's putting them on a pedestal so high that you fear for them falling. It's seeing bits of them everywhere you go, reminders of them in a song you hear, a picture you see or a color that just screams THEM. It's never ending butterflies, that first kiss feeling after the hundredth, goosebumps after the thousandth touch. Love is every feeling all at once. It's peace, joy, fear, hope, grace and humility all rolled into one. Love helps you recognize the best version of yourself, the person you strive for, the person you are in their eyes. Love is risking it all, even knowing you might crash and burn, the journey is more than worth it. Love simply put is not a feeling, it's a state of being, an essence that you are finally home, right where you were always meant to be.

As Taron's hands clutch at your body, these are the meandering thoughts filtering through your overworked brain. It's been much too long since you were in his arms and now that you're back, you don't know how you ever made the decision to be away from him, even if you were only trying to figure things out. What's to figure out anyway? You always knew this was your fate, to be with this man for as long as he'll have you. Why have you wasted so much precious time on fear? You know you've had these feelings before, that you were ready to commit to him, but things always seemed to get in the way. But somehow, it feels different now. Like you are finally at the precipice of where you've been headed along. That every single gesture, every decision, every hurtful word or action, every thought, every moment since the first moment you laid eyes on him has led to this one. Like all of those things had to take place in order to get here. There's no more doubt in your mind, no more little voice telling you that you're not good enough. Taron wants you and you want him, that's all that matters now.

His mouth drops to your neck allowing a much needed exhale to escape your lips. You tilt your head back and grab onto the back of his head to hold him firmly in place as his hands devour your body. The room has gone silent with only the sounds of your labored breathing filling the tranquil space. Your back is pressed firmly against the wall, Taron's hard body filling in all the gaps against your own. His hands move from your shoulders, to your waist then finally down to your hips, where he pulls you even closer, needing to fill every available space. The air grows thin as his lips ghost across your collarbone, then up the column of your throat and finally to tug gently at the lobe of your ear. He moans your name softly into your ear which causes you to stifle out your own moan, and squeeze your eyes tight as his lips finally find your jaw and back over to your mouth. Now having taken in a sufficient amount of air, you take a deep breath and kiss him feverishly, savoring every last drop of what he's willing to give. His hands go flat against the wall on either side of your body and you grasp onto his forearms for support. In one swift movement, he hooks one arm under your thigh as you move your hand to his chest, then you are lifted off your feet as his other arm goes around your other leg. Your hands lace at the back of his neck once again and you are now slightly elevated above him as you straddle his hips. Taron apparently is the one who now needs a breath as he pulls his mouth from yours to rest his forehead against your own. Seizing the opportunity, you tilt your head down to press slow languid kisses against his temple, tilting his head up so that you can drag your lips down to his cheek and jaw. You dip your head even further so that you can reach the spot just below his ear, nipping lightly at the soft skin there. A small sound of pleasure escapes his mouth so you lift your eyes to his face. His eyes are closed gently, his lips parted slightly and you pause a moment to take in his beauty. He still takes your breath away, even after all this time. Moving back to his perfect lips, you take them gently, moving your mouth with his in perfect harmony as he braces you against the wall. You want so badly to feel his skin against your own, so maneuvering your hands down, you begin to unbutton his shirt. At this action, he pulls his face away and you pout internally at the loss of contact. Your fingers freeze on the top button as he takes a few shallow breaths and slowly flutters his eyes open, speaking in a low groan.